When GQ caught up with Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, you wouldn’t have been ready inform he was weeks away from his October 5 purchased towards Joaquin Buckley (19-6-0) as a part of a stacked card for UFC 307 in Salt Lake Metropolis. Seated in his household’s Upstate Karate facility in his hometown of Simpsonville, South Carolina, one of many UFC’s most completed strikers and most entertaining fighters was simply hours away from starting his duties as the pinnacle teacher of the youngsters’s karate program.
At 41 years outdated, it’s simple to ask why Thompson remains to be moving into the octagon with opponents who’re greater than a decade youthful, when so a lot of his friends have known as it a profession. However martial arts have all the time been a fixture in his life. Thompson started coaching on the age of three—his father Ray was a former skilled kickboxer. Remaining in form has by no means been a problem as he’s all the time in an surroundings the place he can prepare and nonetheless take classes from the person who taught him every little thing he is aware of.
Thompson spoke with GQ about what nonetheless drives him to compete and what is going to dictate when that involves an finish. He additionally talked in regards to the early errors he made in making an attempt to chop weight, and the post-fight meal that may be a reminder of life earlier than the brilliant lights and large promotions.
GQ: Your final combat was in December. Given the place you’re at in your profession, are coaching camps simpler or are there extra challenges now?
Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson: I am a kind of MMA fighters who trains year-round. There are lots of guys—particularly on the prime of the sport—that solely prepare at any time when they’ve fights developing. My household runs a martial arts faculty. We have been right here for 41 years and that is a giant a part of my life. I decide up children after faculty as a result of we’ve got an after-school program. Martial arts is unquestionably a way of life for me and my household. It’s fairly simple to choose up the coaching as a result of I dwell on the fitness center.
What’s it going to be wish to get to combat in entrance of household and pals in Utah?
I am tremendous enthusiastic about it. I owe Utah one as a result of I used to be alleged to combat final summer season towards Michel Pereira. He ended up not making weight. However the man that I am preventing, Joaquin Buckley—he fights at 185. He isn’t a giant 185, however he is infamous for making weight. So I haven’t got any worry of this man not making weight. He’s additionally a sort of man—sort of like Kevin Holland—as quickly as he steps into that Octagon, he brings it. He is on the market to place you to sleep, which makes for a terrific combat. I believe it’ll be a kind of “combat of the night time,” for certain.
What motivates you to nonetheless step into the Octagon at this level in your profession?
I’ve been in martial arts since I used to be three, been preventing since I used to be 15—kickboxing, and MMA. For the longest time, particularly in my youthful years—it was all the time the title. However I spotted that does not hold you hungry—Simply having that as your motivation will not all the time hold you hungry to maintain you within the fitness center or hold your thoughts targeted on what must be performed on the market within the octagon. So I’ve received a bit mindset swap and adopted in my dad’s footsteps. The objective is clearly the title, however that is not the principle objective. The principle objective is to see how a lot better can I get from my final combat, particularly at my age.
I got here into MMA pretty late in my profession. Now, that I am on the prime, there is a slew of men. All people’s actually good all over the place. The blueprint on easy methods to beat me is simply to get me right down to the bottom. So I’ve to remain hungry in the truth that I’ve to proceed to do higher. How good can I get at 41 years outdated, when most individuals retire? So I believe with that mindset swap, that is what retains me hungry. My check to see how good I am getting is to have the ability to combat these up-and-coming studs within the UFC. That’s my yearly examination for coaching. Protecting myself within the fitness center, persevering with to ask questions, and are available in with an empty cup. I believe that thoughts swap has helped me out a ton and with that mindset, success will come.
What do you’re feeling are among the key elements which have helped you continue to be capable to compete with these up-and-coming fighters?
My dad is my fundamental coach. I name him Papa Ridegand. He fought again within the 70s and 80s. He is educated lots of world-champion kickboxers and lots of MMA fighters. There are lots of father-son duos on the market that did not actually make it as a result of that they had lots of head-butting happening. We all know easy methods to separate the father-son, student-coach relationship. I am not saying we do not butt heads, however on the finish of the day, this man has been there longer than I’ve, and he is educated one of the best of one of the best. All I can do is pay attention.
He is aware of easy methods to prepare fighters, to have the ability to proceed to coach and proceed to combat later of their years. You may all the time situation the physique, however you’ll be able to’t situation the mind. So we’re all the time holding it gentle. We now have a bunch of men that depart their ego on the door and we’ll are available in and we assist one another prepare. You must hearken to your physique at this age, too. I spend extra time with bodily and therapeutic massage remedy—letting it heal up. If I get up and really feel like I am worn down, I do not prepare, however I’ll are available in and do issues that are not as intense. My coach is aware of me higher than I do know myself. So if he sees that I am getting fatigued, he’ll have me again off. I believe my type as effectively. There’s lots of guys within the UFC who combat like Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, however there’s solely a lot your mind and your physique can take. Though I am within the combat recreation, I do not like getting hit. That’s a bit simpler mentioned than performed. However I believe with my karate type and background, the way in which that I will evade the strikes—particularly the heavy blows—I believe it is helped my longevity as effectively.
What’s the affect you’ve felt martial arts have had in your life exterior of the fight facet?
Man, I believe it’s made me not simply the martial artist that I’m right this moment, however simply being a very good human being. That is one thing that I attempt to give again to the youngsters that I educate. It’s a way of life, and this is without doubt one of the the reason why we’ve got so many children at our facility. We now have grandkids of oldsters which were by means of us. Yeah, it is a good exercise and an effective way to drop a few pounds, however it’s the character-building facet that I believe has helped lots of human beings world wide.
